Philip Larkin | XX Poems, 1951, inscribed

Philip Larkin

XX Poems. [Belfast: Privately Printed for the Author,] 1951

small 4to, FIRST AND ONLY EDITION OF THE AUTHOR'S SECOND BOOK OF POETRY, ONE OF 100 COPIES, PRESENTATION COPY with a long inscription on the dedication leaf by the author ("& this particular copy inscribed to my old friend and publisher George Hartley on 28th April 1971 in the ruins of his old home. Vingt ans après! and it's partly Published now by 'Squeeze 'em Hartley. Philip Larkin"), original paper wrappers, slight spotting and creasing

LARKIN'S RARE SECOND COLLECTION INSCRIBED TO THE PUBLISHER WHO MADE HIS NAME. This scarce pamphlet was privately printed for the author in an edition of 100 copies "by Carswells of Belfast... The hundred copies arrived on the 17th April [1951]" (letter by Larkin to Bloomfield). The bibliography also notes that "most of the copies were sent by the author to prominent literary figures who generally did not acknowledge receipt, insufficient stamps having been put on the envelopes because postage rates had just been raised". 

George Hartley, to whom this copy is inscribed, established the Marvell Press in Hull 1954 together with his wife Jean. They published Larkin's breakthrough third collection, The Less Deceived, in 1955, and George also edited the press's poetry magazine Listen, to which Larkin was a regular contributor.

LITERATURE:

Bloomfield A4